Greetings Church,
It has been a while since I have written to you. Many excuses have come across my mind and most have focused upon the issue of inspiration rather than motivation. As I have contemplated these thoughts the end result is that I have realized that these reflections are speaking more to me, just as much as to you.
The other night while reciting Scripture before going to sleep, I was prompted to think about the issue of inspiration and was convicted that I do not need inspiration to write as I already have it in Christ, through the Spirit and the power of the Word. If I relegate my writing to my own inspiration I put God in a box, negate the power of the cross, ignore the prompting of the Spirit and the Word that is living and active becomes stale and powerless.
All those things grow from a dependence upon the flesh rather than the Lord. Daily in our lives we need to not only live with repentant hearts but hearts that keep our focus upon the Lord in such a way that we realize the more we know Him the more we will see our intimate need of Him. His glory, wonder, grace, wisdom, peace and comfort, etc., are already ours in Christ. We need only to appropriate their reality and live them out as He empowers us by the Spirit and the Word.
Two Scriptures come to mind to help in remembering these truths. The first is Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Here the Apostle Paul makes it plain that every need of ours will be supplied. Regardless of what those needs are, God will supply them perfectly. Please note that the needs have a catch. They are not needs that find their foundation in the flesh but in the glorious riches in Christ Jesus. How many times have we reasoned ourselves into a decision concerning something we thought we needed only to realize that it had no value at all? When we realize that God supplies the true needs of our heart namely Christ in all His glory our value system shifts dramatically. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." What a glorious reminder of God's provision.
The second Scripture comes from II Peter 1:3,4 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire." Several reminders leap off the page in this passage. We see that the provision finds its source in God not us. His power has granted, His revelation has granted, His rescue is exercised in the fulfillment of His promises to us. This passage of promise is not to be used as a lucky charm or expression but a reminder that God is the one who provides the power through His promises so that all things that pertain to life and godliness are ours in Him. As such the end result is not a blessed life in the world but a glorious life free from sinful desire. I find it interesting that we can easily commingle worldly wisdom with Biblical wisdom. We sprinkle wisdom of the flesh in a way to justify it with a little bit of truth from the Word. If we have escaped the corruption of the flesh why do we purposely seek it out?
The wonder of the Lord's motivation, inspiration and power is part and parcel of our relationship with Him through Christ. We need not find the source in our fallen heart but in the heart that is fully redeemed in Christ. Our redemption and repentance is to be upon our hearts every moment of our day. That reflection will give us all we need because He has promised it.
"May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thessalonians 5:23)
Blessings,
PBS
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